pass English · revision 3344

+ English has two main words spelled ''pass'': the verb “to go by”, with the nouns formed from it, and the mountain pass, a variant of [[pace]]; both go back to Latin passus “step”.^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /pɑːs/, US /pæs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|go by}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=la passus}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is [[inh|enm|passen]], [[bor|fro|passer]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*passāre|t=to step, walk, pass]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|passus|t=step, pace]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) reconstructed as from [[ine-pro|*peth₂-|alt=*pete-|t=to spread]].^(Etymonline) Many senses of the noun come from the verb;^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) others are from French passe, from passer.^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “To die”: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'',^(Barnhart 1988) and “to surpass” about 1200.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline gives “to go by, cross over” in the late 13th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive “to go on, make one's way” is from about 1300.^(Etymonline) “To experience, spend”, as in ''pass the time'', is by the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) “To get through an examination” is from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline) ''Come to pass'', “to be accomplished”, is from the late 15th century, using the noun in the sense of completion.^(Etymonline) A written permission to pass a place is from 1591 in Spenser^(Barnhart 1988) or the 1590s,^(Etymonline) a free ticket by 1838.^(Etymonline) “To decline to play”, first in cards, is from 1869,^(Etymonline) and in bridge the noun is from 1923.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) In football and other games “to send the ball to another player” is from about 1865.^(Etymonline) ''To make a pass'', an amorous advance, is by 1928.^(Etymonline) ''Passable'' meant “that can be passed” in 1413 and “tolerable” in 1489,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''password'' and ''passkey'' are from about 1817.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – to die.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – to surpass.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 13th century – to go by.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 15th century – to pass an examination.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 15th century – ''come to pass''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1591 – permission to pass.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1865 – to pass a ball.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1869 – to decline to play.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1928 – ''make a pass''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To go past; to move on or through.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To hand over, or to send a ball to a team-mate.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To succeed in an examination or test.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Of time, to go by; to spend time.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To approve, as a law.^(AHD)

+ # To decline to play or bid.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To be accepted as something one is not.^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(euphemism)'' To die: ''pass away''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A permit to enter or leave, or a free ticket.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A successful result in an examination.^(AHD)

+ # A transfer of the ball to a team-mate.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A state of affairs, especially a bad one: ''come to a pretty pass''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(informal)'' An amorous advance.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[passable]]

+ * [[passer]]

+ * [[passing]]

+ * [[password]]

+ * [[passkey]]

+ * [[passport]]

+ * [[bypass]]

+ * [[overpass]]

+ * [[underpass]]

+ * [[surpass]]

+ * [[trespass]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|mountain path}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300 (Arthour and Merlin)|origins=la passus}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The mountain pass is [[inh|enm|pas|t=road, path, passage]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|fro|pas|t=step, track, passage]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la|passus|t=step, pace]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It is a variant of [[pace]], restricted to the sense “passage”,^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004) with its spelling influenced by the verb [[pass#1]] and French pas.^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A road, path, passageway: probably before 1300, in ''Arthour and Merlin''.^(Barnhart 1988) The OED's first quotation for a narrow and difficult passage through mountains is from before 1300.^(OED 1989) Etymonline dates the mountain sense to about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A narrow strait is from before 1350,^(Barnhart 1988) and a narrow and difficult path from before 1393, in Gower's ''Confessio Amantis''.^(Barnhart 1988) A passage in a text, a canto or chapter, is from about 1350 and is obsolete.^(OED 1989) A way across a river, a ford or ferry, is from 1649,^(OED 1989) and a navigable channel at a river's mouth from 1698.^(OED 1989) In military use a pass commands the entrance to a country, from 1683.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – a road, passage.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1350 – a narrow strait.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1393 – a narrow path.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1649 – a river crossing.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1683 – a strategic pass.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1698 – a channel at a river's mouth.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A narrow route through mountains; a [[gap]] or [[defile]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A way across or through; a passage or channel.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pace]]

+ * [[passage]]

+ * [[passenger]]

+ * [[past]]

+ * [[passus]]

+ * [[expand]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A rare ''pass'' or ''pass wine'', wine made from raisins, from Latin passum, was used from late Middle English to the 19th century.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}